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Reasons Why a Layered Cake Is Special!
Many Flavors in a Single Cake
If you are wondering about how to make cake layers then you have got to know why everyone is so obsessed with them. You get to enjoy so many flavours in a single cake and you still can’t get enough of it. At the moment, rainbow cakes are super popular. These are a visual treat with seven cake layers in all the colours of the rainbow. Depending on where you buy this cake from, all the layers may have the same flavour, or bakers will match colour with flavour. Enjoying so many flavours at the same time is so satisfying for your sweet tooth.
Making a Layered Cake Is Not Super Difficult
Unlike what people say, it is definitely not a big deal to make a layered cake. In fact, this is quite like making any other cake. All you need is the right kind of tools and ingredients for it, and of course, better planning too. If you have a larger oven then you can simply bake all the layers at the same time and it can save so much of time for you.
A Kids' Favorite
Whether it is discovering the 2 layer cake recipe or the 4 layered one, kids just love the fact that you are making a layered cake. As everyone knows that kids just love cakes and if it is layered, then it is quite like a bonus for them. The colours, flavours and the decoration attracts them the most and this is why it is a great idea to make a layered cake for them, especially when it is their birthday.
Expert Tips for Making Perfect Cake Layers
Greasing the Pan Is Very Important
If you want to learn how to make a tiered cake, then you should better start with learning how to grease a baking pan perfectly. A well-greased pan is literally the key to making a perfect cake. It is really important for the cakes to have a flat surface and it is only possible when they come out clean from the pan itself.
You can either use a parchment paper and then grease it with butter and flour, or simply use a baking spray instead. Coat the inner surface of the baking pan with a light coat of the baking spray and your cake will surely come out clean from it. Buying a baking spray will surely come very handy for you.
Use Digital Scale for Measuring
The next step is about baking that perfectly fluffy but flat surfaced cake. For this, you have the option to use a digital scale. This digital scale will come handy for you to weigh every single ingredient perfectly. In fact, you can even weigh every cake pan through it.
This will help you in making equal layers every single time no matter what type of baking pan you are using. You can simply make the cake batter in one large bowl and then divide it into pans equally with the help of digital scale. If you want to add flavours then you can do it after dividing the cake batter too.
Reduce Baking Temperature for Flat Tops
Many bakers struggle with this even till date. They are not able to bake a cake with a flat top. You would have to trim down the cake to create a flat surface on your own but this can be quite tiring.
For this, you can do a simple trick which is to reduce the temperature a bit which induces slow cooking hence avoiding a dome type top. For example, if the recipe tells you to bake a cake at 180 degrees then you can bake it on 150 degrees for some more time. Or you can also use bake stripes which can be wrapped around the baking pans as they also help in achieving the flat top.
Prep and Store Cake Layers Beforehand
If you want to learn how to make cake layers like a pro, then you need to start being organized and well-planned. The best way to make a layered cake is by dividing the process in two days.
All you have to do is bake all the layers in a day and then do the frosting and icing on next day. Meanwhile, you can let the baked cakes chill in the fridge or freezer for a while to make them firm and avoid any type of crumbs. You can even store the baked cakes in freezer for a month if wrapped well in plastic wraps. You can proceed on to do the layering and assembling the very next day.
Let the Cake Cool Down Completely
Let’s move on to assembling the layers now and for which we have an important tip for you. You are not supposed to do anything with the cake when it is still warm. This is the time when the cake is softest and hence the chances of cake being crumbled into small pieces are more.
Let the cake cool downto the room temperature completely and you can even let it chill in the fridge afterwards before working on it. Your cake must be firm enough so that you can shape it as well as apply the layer of frosting on it. This will ensure that your cake can withstand all types of situations and it will also remain perfect in the position for hours.
Start Assembling the Layers Carefully
Now, that your cake has cooled down completely, you are supposed to start the assembling process. You are supposed to put the first layer upside down on a cardboard round. Now, top this baked cake with a layer of frosting or filling of your choice and make sure that you spread it evenly with the help of a spatula.
Now, put another layer of cake on this frosting and repeat the process till you reach the last layer. If you are using a softer filling then make sure to pipe a layer on the perimeter of the cake so that the frosting doesn’t leak out. Use this tip for all the layers for a smoother appearance.
Crumb Coat Is the Key
Many bakers know the process of making cake layers, but they often miss out on an important step which is to crumb coat the cake. Crumb coat is quite like the key to achieving a smooth layer of frosting outside the cake which makes your cake look quite amazing and professional too.
This is a thin layer of frosting spread out on the entire cake to smooth out the shape and to fill any type of small holes in it. For this, you need to start from the top and then work your way down the bottom covering all the areas of the cake in the middle. After crumb coating, make sure that you let the cake chill in the fridge for about half an hour.
The Final Coating, Followed by Refrigeration
Once you are done with crumb coating your cake and then letting it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, it is the time to apply the final layer. You need to apply a thick layer for frosting now which is going to work as the outermost layer of the cake and this is the most defining stage too.
Again, start working on the top and then move down towards the bottom and make sure to apply thick layer this time. You can use angled spatula for this and use the turntable for smoother working. After this, chill the cake for 30 minutes again before finally serving.
Important Tools for Making Layered Cake
Bake Even Stripes
We genuinely believe the fact that every baker should know about the concept of baking stripes. In fact, they are a total staple at every professional baking kitchen. These baking stripes protect your cake from forming a dome over it and provide you flat surfaced cakes every single time.
In this pack here, you get a pack of 6 bake even stripes. You just need to dampen them and wrap around the cake pan and you are good to go. They are totally oven safe and in case you are feeling confused then the pack comes with an instruction manual too. You can buy this pack of Wilton Bake Even Stripes on www.amazon.in for Rs.2,927.
Baking Spray
Baking Spray is something which can save a lot of time and efforts for you. When making a layered cake, you are supposed to grease every single pan and there can be too many, so the process is quite tiring. Such sprays come with pre-mixed flour ,thus making it simpler for you to use them.
So, you can rather use a baking spray directly. Simply, spray it in your baking pan and you are good to bake. This Wilton Bake Easy Non Stick Spray is perfect for it and even a light spray would be enough to help your cake release perfectly. You can buy this on www.amazon.in for Rs.1,222.
Cake Leveler
Now, that you have learned how to make cake layers, you can easily make a layered cake on your own with different flavours too. However, if you have a pan which is deeper, it will bake a cake with more height. This is why you need a leveller in order to cut the cake horizontally.
This is super easy to use and it can cut the cake up to 10 inches wide and adjust up to 2 inches high. You just need to hold it from the handle above, and then swipe into the cake to cut horizontally through it. You can buy this cake leveller on www.bakewala.com for Rs.341.
Icing Spatula
Apart from making a flat surfaced cake, it is also important to apply perfect icing on it. A simple spatula can’t be used for the cakes as they can be a little tricky to use and might damage the entire look of the cake from the top.
If you want your icing to be evened out smoothly on the cake, then you should better use an angled spatula for it. This angled spatula is capable to even out the icing on even a 13-inch cake and it is dishwasher safe too. You can buy this angled spatula on www.amazon.in for Rs.2,433.
Mistakes to Avoid When Making a Layered Cake
If you are someone who is baking a layered cake or even a simple cake for the first time then you are more likely to make mistakes. No matter how many videos you have seen how to make a 4 layer cake, there are some basics which you would want to know about. And here are some mistakes that you should totally avoid while making cake layers.
Leaving the Layers Uneven
The very basic rule of making a layered cake is that all the layers should be flat so that they can be stacked perfectly one over the other. If you are making a mistake on this very point then you are most likely to make a disaster in the next steps. Many a time the cake bake into a dome shape and you are supposed to cut that dome to make the cake completely flat.
Leveling a Warm Cake
Before you start flattening your cake, you should better wait. You are not supposed to work on your cake when it is still hot or even warm. Let your cake cool down completely before you start flattening it or levelling it over one another. Trimming a warm cake can easily tear it apart and you would have to start making it again.
Not Sealing Soft Fillings
Now that you know how to make cake layers and how to stack them too, you are likely to make a mistake in the next step. This step is about sealing the soft fillings which many of us leave out. When you are using thinner frosting like fruit puree, pastry cream etc. it might leak out of the sides of the cake. For this, use the upper frosting to pipe a single layer on the edge of each layer.
Skipping Crumb Coating before Final Frosting
Crumb coating is probably the most important step to provide that smoothness to your layered cake. Many of us forget to do us and the result is crumbling cake which is not a pleasant sight. For crumb coating, apply a layer of buttercream on top and sides of the cake and then chill it for 15 minutes before applying a final layer.
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Follow These Tips to Bake a Perfect Layered Cake
For all the bakers who want to take their baking skills up a level. Follow these tips and you will bake a tasty and an elegant looking multi-layered cake. There is a learning curve though, and it takes mistakes to become perfect.